I know my wife and son are planning to stay home today because her car's near empty and there's no gas near our house. Other parents also are scaling back plans, such as play dates or other normally routine errands.

Are you changing your plans today, or the rest of the week? Maybe working from home? We want to talk to you for tomorrow's paper. Call me at 329-4066 or e-mail jfoster@heraldonline.com.

Please leave your name, city and a number where you can be reached.

So I saw "The Dark Knight" last night. Look for my review in Friday's Ticket section.

In the mean time, here's the short version: I liked it quite a bit.

The movie is pretty much nonstop action. And what you've heard about Heath Ledger's performance is true. He's amazing as the Joker.

The movie is pretty long for a summer action film, but I think Batman fans will be plenty satisfied.

I'm predicting a weekend gross of at least $75 million, probably more. Maybe way more.

Perhaps inspired by the resurgence of Indiana Jones after 19 years, plans are apparently under way for "Beverly Hills Cop IV."

According to the Internet Movie Database, the newest adventure of transplanted Detroit cop Axel Foley will hit theaters in 2010. Details are skimpy, but one would assume Eddie Murphy will reprise the role we all thought he'd laid to rest in 1994.

If you like your news of the weird to have a geeky spin, try this:

HOLYHEAD, Wales (AP) — A man who dressed up as Darth Vader, wearing a garbage bag for a cape, and assaulted the founders of a group calling itself the Jedi church was given a suspended sentence Tuesday.

Who wouldn't keep reading after a lead like that? You can find the full story in Wednesday's Herald, but here's a sneek peak:

“HEY YOU GUUUUUUYYYS!"

PBS is apparently making a new version of the classic 1970s show “The Electric Company.”

I was always more of a “Sesame Street” kid, but I remember hearing good things about the show from friends. Also, I know it was the inspiration for Sloth’s famous “HEY YOU GUUUUUUYYYS!” catchphrase in “The Goonies.”

Anyway, here’s a snippet from The Associated Press about the new show:

Do you know someone in York, Chester or Lancaster counties who's younger than 30 and deserves attention? If so, The Herald wants to spotlight them in an upcoming project called "20 under 30."

This project will highlight 20 people under the age of 30 in the community who are making a difference, or just making a name for themselves, in a variety of categories -- business, education, government, sports, faith, etc.

If you've listened to this week's "PopCast," (click here to listen) you know I took some Stryper-related ribbing during our concert memories segment. Hey, I make no apologies for loving the band in seventh grade.

For those who, like my colleague Jason Wheatley, aren't familiar with this '80s Christian metal band, let me point you toward some reading material.

I just heard a dispatcher on the police scanner say they'd received a call about someone "driving like Mad Max."

My question is this: Was this person driving like Mad Max or like Mel Gibson? Also, was he driving like Mad Max in "Mad Max," "The Road Warrior" or "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome"?

Either way, we all had a chuckle at that choice of description. Hopefully, this "Mad Max" calms down a bit and resumes a more "Driving Miss Daisy" driving etiquette.

Cue Tina Turner …

Apple is reportedly considering a plan to give people unlimited, free access to the iTunes music library provided they're willing to pay more for an iPod.

Intrigued? Me, too.

But just how much more would we pay for those iPods? That remains to be seen.

According to an Associated Press story, unnamed music industry sources say Apple is negotiating with record labels to potentially offer a monthly music subscription for the iPhone, and an unlimited music bundle for both the iPod and iPhone.

Pro athletes have long had a tradition of pranks and practical jokes in the locker room. Baseball's spring training is only a few days old, but already those wheels are turning in major league clubhouses.

If you need a good laugh on this Monday, check out the video below of Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Kyle Kendrick getting duped into thinking he's been traded to Japan.

This one is complicated, involving everyone from teammates to the front office. They pull it off well, I must say.

Some exciting news if you're an Indiana Jones fan...

The first teaser trailer for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" will be unveiled Thursday exclusively on ABC's "Good Morning America," according to a press release from Paramount Pictures.

The trailer will air sometime between 8 and 9 a.m., according to the release, before fanning out to IndianaJones.com and Yahoo! Movies. It also will debut theatrically the same day.

No word on what the trailer will show, so I guess we'll all be setting our respective DVRs for "GMA" on Thursday.

In case you missed it, here's the "American Idol" audition of Fort Mill's Michelle Lampkin and her brother.

I generally try to steer clear of anything "Hannah Montana" related, but I got an e-mail yesterday with some surprising information.

According to a Disney press release, the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus "Best of Both Worlds" concert movie, which grossed $31.1 million over the weekend, also set a number of records, including...

- Fewest number of theatres to ever open at #1
- Biggest opening weekend screen average of any wide release in history
- Biggest opening gross over Super Bowl weekend
- Biggest Super Bowl weekend gross in history

The buzz the past couple days has been that an end to the 3-month-old writers' strike could come this week.

If you'll recall, I said three weeks ago on the PopCast that a deal would be reached within three weeks.

If this happens, just call me The Oracle.

So, Super Bowl commercials ... What did everyone think?

Overall, I found them pretty disappointing. That's been a recurring theme the past few years. It seems most Super Bowel commercials are now just, well, regular commercials.

The E*Trade baby was funny, but apart from that, very little else stood out.

Am I wrong? Discuss here.

You may have seen the previews for this new movie called “Step Up 2 the Streets,” the sequel to 2006’s “Step Up.”

It occured to me the other day that this developing saga could very well be the “Breakin’” and “Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo” of the 21st century.

I saw “Breakin’ 2” in a theater, by the way.

So "Lost" returns tonight after an eight-month absence. But does anyone else feel as bittersweet as I do about the whole thing?

Sure, one of my favorite shows is back with new episodes at a time when the writers' strike has turned network TV into a semi-wasteland of dullness.

CNN has a video on its Web site that shows an image of what seems to be a human-like figure on Mars.

The headline for the video describes the figure as “Sasquatchy” for its resemblence to many alleged photos of Bigfoot. Needless to say, if Bigfoot is living on Mars, that would be one of the most awesome things ever.

Click here to see the video and judge for yourself.

If you’re going into fresh TV withdrawal because of the writers’ strike, let me make a recommendation: USA's "Psych."

It’s one of the few shows with original episodes left (the new season just started).

You may have read today that chess great and controversial recluse Bobby Fischer has died.

I don’t really know much about the man other than what I’ve read in news stories through the years. But whenever I hear his name, I think of the movie “Searching for Bobby Fischer.” If you've never seen it, I highly recommend renting it.

Not that the predicted death of our profession is something to joke about, but sometimes you can't help but laugh.

"The Simpsons" has always been an equal opportunity offender. And I'll admit it, I found this pretty funny.

Slowly but surely, it appears Hollywood writers are gradually making headway in their strike — despite that negotiations with studios remain stalled.

The Associated Press reported today that The Weinstein Co., big-shots of independent filmmaking, has apparently reached an interim deal with writers to allow Weinstein projects to resume production. See the full story here.

Have you seen these new Burger King commercials where they tell customers they no longer sell Whoppers and then watch them freak out?

The campaign is called, appropriately enough, Whopper Freakout.

I suppose they're kind of funny, but for goodness sake, what's wrong with people?

"I don't eat Wendy's! I eat Whoppers! Get me a Whopper!" screams one man, visibly shaking — and perhaps ready to maim someone — at the thought of not getting a Whopper.

Geeze, people. It's just a burger.

No wonder so many Americans are obese.

As promised, here's my review of "Asylum" from today's Ticket section:

'Asylum' is your typical bad horror film

No matter how bad you might want “Asylum” to be a good movie because it was filmed in Rock Hill, it won’t change the fact that it simply is not.

In fact, merely saying the movie is “not good” doesn’t accurately get across how unoriginal, tiresome and unintentionally funny the production becomes in its roughly 90-minute runtime.

If you're in the York County area, you probably saw our story on 1A today about the movie "Asylum" (filmed locally) being released next week in a few cities.

If you're interested in the film, my review will run in next Friday's Ticket section. I'll also post it here.

If you'll allow me a brief addendum to this week's PopCast ...

You may recall that Justin briefly mentioned the 1970s TV show "Emergency!" near the beginning, which led me to mention that I was such a fan of the show as a kid that I wanted my parents to name my sister John Gage after one of the main characters.

OK, here's a blog entry inspired by our poll question to the right asking how you plan to do your holiday shopping.

As I write this, the "I'll be out shopping bright and early on Friday" choice is in the lead.

OK, folks, tell me: Why is this a popular choice?

Waking up extra early to go stand in the cold and wait to battle it out with other folks for the hot new toy is about the last place I'd want to be. I know, there are deals to be had, and you can get your shopping out of the way early. Still, I'm content to take my chances later.

So Entertainment Weekly and TV Land have come up with a list of the 50 Greatest TV Icons.

The TV adaptation aired Friday on TV Land (I'm sure reruns will be plentiful).

You may recall us discussing the concept recently on the PopCast. My colleague Jason Wheatley said he thought late-night legend Johnny Carson should top the list. Well, Jason, apparently the big wigs at EW and TV Land agreed with you. Carson did, indeed, come in at No. 1 (I'm not giving anything away here; that was announced in news stories last week).

I like Christmas music as much as the next guy, but I tend to enjoy it most around, you know, Christmas.

Not Nov. 3.

XM satellite radio has already relaunched its channel "Holly," which is 24/7 nonstop Christmas music. I think they started Thursday (Nov. 1) but I noticed it for the first time today.

My wife and I took our son trick-or-treating during my dinner break tonight. He's 2 1/2 and this is the first Halloween where he's aware that there's something special going on.

My wife made him a baseball costume. Not a baseball uniform, mind you, but an actual baseball. He trick-or-treated as a giant baseball. Very adorable.

It took about three houses for him to totally get what Halloween is about: "I knock on people's doors, and they give me free candy."